


Cornfields

by AliceMayWrite



Category: Parks and Recreation
Genre: Chill, F/M, Fluff, Light Angst, Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 19:15:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26512765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AliceMayWrite/pseuds/AliceMayWrite
Summary: Leslie and Ben's car breaks down on the way to Michigan. They talk and they wait.
Relationships: Ann Perkins/Chris Traeger, Chris Traeger & Ben Wyatt, Leslie Knope & Ann Perkins, Leslie Knope/Ben Wyatt
Comments: 6
Kudos: 12





	Cornfields

**Author's Note:**

> This idea popped into my head in class today and I had to just get it down, sorry it's not something more substantial haha

“Ben, what on _earth_ is that sound?”  
It was a bad sound. The kind of sound you would hear if you put a wrench in a washing machine and put it on a quick wash.  
Ben looked around wildly. “It’s- it’s just the car.”  
“It is?! Are you sure?”  
“Yeah, positive, I-”  
“How can we visit Ann and Chris in Michigan for the first time since she was _ripped away from me_ if the _car is broken_?!”  
“It’s not broken, it’s just”-  
The two of them frantically looked at each other as the car spluttered to a stop.  
“NO!”  
“It had gas, I’m so confused?!” Ben yelped. Then acrid, black smoke began pouring out of the bonnet. That was when the two of them leapt out of the car in a panic and met each other on the road about fifteen metres away.  
“Do you think it’ll blow up?” Leslie asked anxiously.  
“No… I doubt it. But I also know not very much at all about car maintenance, so…”  
“I’ll phone a tow company.”

***

Leslie and Ben were sat beside the road. Ben had to marvel at the beauty of it all, actually. They were surrounded by a vast expanse of cornfields, and in the height of midday, it was quite a view. Leslie was pacing back and forth a few metres away, and then she hung up brutally.  
“Ugh. They could be up to four hours.”  
“We’re only two hours from Ann and Chris, maybe we should call them?”  
“Would they mind?” Leslie asked, skeptical.  
“Uh, they’re our best friends. I’m sure they won’t.”  
Leslie took to biting her nails, and Ben looked at her sympathetically.  
“Babe. They won’t mind.”  
“I know, I just- why am I nervous?”  
“Because it’s been a few weeks since you’ve seen them?” Ben asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. She shrugged.  
“I don’t know. I just keep thinking about if Ann has made a new best friend. And half of me wants to shatter into a thousand pieces at the very thought, but the other half almost wants her to so she doesn’t feel how I feel. Which is sad.”  
Leslie plonked herself down at the side of the road. Ben sat down beside her and took her hand.  
“Leslie, she’s always going to be your best friend. She’ll make new friends, sure, but I’ve seen you two. It’s a bond I can’t even begin to describe, and it’s special. It won’t go away.”  
“Sort of like you and Chris, huh,” Leslie commented, nudging him. Ben nodded.  
“Yeah, that’s true. But I don’t compliment his physique ten times a day- _he_ does that enough already.”  
The two of them looked out over the cornfields. It was so sunny, the green of the plants was so verdant and bright. Leslie finally took a second to breathe out and appreciate it all.  
“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.  
“Isn’t it?” Ben replied.  
“I’ve never looked at it before. Not properly, anyway.”  
“It’s like…”  
“A giant corn park!”  
“Uh… sure. Yeah.”

***

Ben rang Chris, who was more than understanding.  
_“Ben Wyatt! We will rescue you immediately. And then you simply have to try this new vegan burger I found at this store in Michigan. It is-”  
_“ _Literally_ the best?” Ben asked.  
_“It really is. You’re going to love it.”  
_Simultaneously, Ann was on the phone with Leslie.  
“I’m sorry, I should have checked the car before we left! In fact I should be more well-versed in car maintenance, so this is on me.”  
_“Leslie,” Ann soothed. “It’s fine. It’s only a few more hours, and then we have the whole weekend together. Chris is just getting his bag and then we can come and get you.”  
_“Okay. I love you.”  
_“I love you too.”_

***

“Are you still thinking about Ann making friends?”  
Ben broke the comfortable silence when he turned to looked at Leslie. She had been quiet for a while, and he knew she was either thinking about work or Ann. Or him, possibly, but if it was him, she would have commented on his butt by now.  
“A little,” Leslie admitted. “I’m not jealous or anything. It’s just weird. I’ve been deliberately busy with work recently so I didn’t think about it too much- I couldn’t bring myself to.”  
“You have been slightly more of a whirlwind recently,” Ben commented.  
“Which was sort of a good thing, because I got so much done. I’m like a machine, baby!”  
“You’re excellent at your job, but you need to think about yourself too,” Ben reminded her. He leaned over to kiss her lips. “And remember that you have lots of friends who love you. What’s that thing you always say? Friends is at the top of the list. And someone who loves her friends as much as you do has nothing but respect, Leslie. And Ann might make new friends, but she’s never going to forget about you.”  
Leslie sighed quietly. “Thank you.”  
“No problem.”  
“How do you know I didn’t mean Friends the TV show?”  
Ben snorted. “That’s a point. You _insist_ on clapping every single time the intro plays.”  
“It’s catchy!”  
The two of them laughed loudly, before Leslie leaned her head on Ben’s shoulder.  
“It’s nice out here. In the cornfields with you.”  
“It really is.” 

***

Within the hour, a familiar car appeared on the horizon. Ben thought Leslie was dozing off, but as soon as they appeared she leapt to her feet. The car pulled to a stop and a very pregnant Ann struggled out. Leslie wasted no time in wrapping her in the biggest hug, both of them crying, and Ben had to smile. There was no way the two of them would ever stop being friends- you just had to look at them for two seconds to see how much they cared for each other.  
And then he was in front of a very smiley best friend of his own.  
“ _Ben Wyatt!_ ”  
Ben chuckled. “Hey, Chris.”  
The two of them embraced. And then Ben was hugging Ann, and Leslie was hugging Chris. Leslie was also somehow crying already, and it felt so right to have the four of them together again. Leslie moved to hug Ann again, whispering something about how exotic and radiant she was, and Ann kissed her on the head. Ben smiled at Leslie as she laughed. He loved his wife so much. And everyone loved her. It was amazing to see.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
